Cerebral angiographic cassette changer



Mar-ch11, 1958 J. A. CAMPBELL ET AL ,8

CEREBRAL ANGIOGRAPHIC CASSETTE CHANGER Filed Oct. 1. 1952 2Sheets-Sheeil W Fig -Tf INVENTORS. .jhw f7 C'flM/JELL.

flrraK/vir March 1953 J. A. CAMPBELL ET AL 2,826,702

CEREBRAL ANGIOGRAFHIC CASSETTE CHANGER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 1,.1952

Ill/Ill l l l l INVENTORS.

CEREBRAL ANGIOGRAPHIC CASSETTE CHANGER Application ()ctober 1, 1952,Serial No. 312,498

4 Claims. (Cl. 25058) This invention relates generally to X-rayappliances and more particularly to cerebral angiographic cassettechangers adapted to be used in connection with X-ray demonstration ofthe blood vessels in the human brain.

Cerebral angiography relates to the X-ray demonstration of the bloodvessels in the human brain using a contrast medium. In order to obtainX-rays of this character, it is necessary that the patient be partiallyanesthetized so that an opaque contrast medium such as iodine solutionmay be injected into the carotid artery. This is done by passing ahypodermic needle through the tissues of the neck into this vessel fromwhich the contrast medium may be conducted into the circulation of thebrain. In carrying out this technique it is essential that the patientshead be carefully immobilized to prevent the needle from slipping out ofthe artery during the injection process. It is also necessary thatserial X-ray photographs be made in quick succession from the front andside of the patients head since the opaque contrast medium flows throughthe blood vessels of the brain in less than three seconds.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to provideadjustable apparatus for supporting film holders at right angles to oneanother for taking X-ray pictures of a patients head without moving thepatient from a comfortable and safe supine position.

Another object of this invention is to provide apparatus of thecharacter described having multiple adjustments for allowing propersurgical access to the neck of the patient, adequate angulation of thehead, and proper centering of the patients head with respect to the X-ray film holders.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a cassette changingapparatus for making rapid serial X-ray films in the frontal and sideprojections with respect to the patients head.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cassette changer havingstructure for immobilizing the patients head, thereby to prevent injuryto the patient and to provide accurate positioning of the patients headwith respect to the X-ray films. 1 H y In accordance with this inventionthere is provided a cerebral angiographic cassette changer adapted tohold a patients head and a plurality of X-ray film holders inpredetermined relation to one another comprising adjustable means forholding a plurality of X-ray fihns, a headrest and transparent clampingmembers adjustably mounted with respect to said head rest forimmobilizing a patients head with respect to said X-ray film holders.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from theaccompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

Fig. 1 shows a top plan view of the cassette changer as provided by thisinvention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on line 22 of Fig. l.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a cerebralangiographic cassette changer comprising a base member having handlemembers 11 at each end thereof for facilitating handling of the device.Base member 10 Pate. W

means of screws or rivets 47.

2 comprises a top panel 12 for supporting the plate 14 of Incite, forexample, which is transparent .not only to ordinary light, but also toX-ray radiation. Beneath the plate 14 there is provided a cassetteholder 16 in the form I a headrest 17 in the form of a recessedbalsa-wood box or block on which a patients head may be adjustablypositioned directly over the X-ray films held in position by thecassette within holder 16. A pair of guide and clamp members 18 may beprovided within holder 16 for accurately and removably positioning anumber of cassettes.

For adjusting the relative height of the patients head the base member10 may be provided with a pair of elevation screws 20 at each endthereof. Thus before or after the patients head is rested on theheadrest 17, the

cassette changer as a unit may be vertically adjusted to provide for thepatients comfort and for the angular relation of his head with respectto the cassette changer.

For supporting a number of cassettes in vertical position to one side ofthe patients head there is provided a magazine 22 constructed andarranged to receive a number of cassettes 23 through a slot 24 whereby anumber of cassettes may be placed in vertical position adjacent to oneanother as illustrated in Fig. 2. For holding the cassettes in verticalposition there is provided a top guide member 26 and a bottom guidemember 27, together with a pivoted arm 23 pivoted as at 29 to engage therear of cassette 23 in forwardly biasing relation thereto, the biasbeing provided by a spring member 30. A pair of sloping guides 31 may beprovided in the lower portion of magazine 22 for causing forwardmovement of the cassettes as the foremost cassette is removed. The sidewall of the magazine 22 may comprise an X-ray radiation transparentlucite Window 32 and a lucite head clamping member 33 arranged toproject outwardly toward the patients head for accurately positioningthe head with respect to the X-ray films within cassette 23.

Magazine 22 is provided at the base thereof with flanges 35 nestedwithin the turned over edge members 36 of a slide 37. The end portionsof slide 37 include turned under flanges 39 which enfold'an outwardlyprojecting track at) on each side of the base 10. The flanges 35 and theturned under flanges 39 are adapted to fit loosely with respect tomembers 36 and 40 whereby magazine 22 may be moved laterally of slide 37to pro vide lateral adjustment of the cassettes 23 with respect to thepatients head. Magazine 22 may also be moved longitudinally of the base10 by adjusting the slide 37 longitudinally with respect to base 10.

For clamping the magazine 22 in an adjusted position there are provideda pair of clamping thumb screws 41 which are threaded into the bracket4-1 mounted on the rear wall of magazine 22. Thumb screws 41 may beprovided with friction pads 42 which may be moved forcibly into contactwith the top panel 12 of the base 10, thereby to effect a clampingaction for holding the magazine 22 in its adjusted position.

At the other end of the base it) there is provided a slidably mountedhead clamping member 45 which may consist of a plastic material such aslucite, transparent to ordinary light and also to X-ray radiation. Theclamping member 45 may be fixed to the base 46 by For providing aslidable or adjustable mounting for clamping member 45, the

base 46 includes a pair of flanges 49 which are adapted Patented Mar.11, less 3 to slide within a slot formed by the turned over edges 50 ofa slider 51. As in the case of slider 37, the end portions of slider 51consist of turned under flanges 51 which slidably engage the outwardlyprojecting rails 4% which form a part of the base 10. The clampingmember 45 may be adjusted laterally and longitudinally with respect tothe base and the patients head in the same manner as described inconnection with the magazine 22.

For clamping member 45 in its adjusted position, there is provided apair of thumb screws 53 threaded Within the plate 54 attached to thebase 46 of clamping member 45. Thumb screw 53 may include a frictionalpad 55 for engaging the top panel of base It and creating the clampingaction to fix clamping member 45 in an adjusted position.

In operation a patient who is to be subjected to cerebral angiographycan be placed in a supine position on a table, and the cassette changeras a unit may be placed beneath his head with the headrest 17 supportinghis head in such a position that X-rays may be directed through his headonto the X-ray films supported in cassette holder 16. It may be desiredto direct the X ray radiation vertically downward through the patientshead or from' an angle in vertical alignment with the patients head, andthus the cassette changer may be adjusted longitudinally of the patientto insure that the X-ray radiation will impinge on the film in holder16.

The magazine 22 may also be adjusted toward or away from the patientshead, but preferably in such a position that clamping member 33 will bein firm contact with the side of the patients head, thereby to providean inmobilizing member which will prevent any movement of the patientshead toward or away from the X-ray film within cassette 23. Magazine 22may also be adjusted longitudinally of the patients head so that thefilm within cassette 23 will be in proper alignment with the patientshead or brain to receive X-ray radiation directed from the right handside (Fig. 2). After the adjustments of magazine 22 are completed, thumbscrews 41 may be adjusted to clamp magazine 22 in the desired position;

Clamping member 45'may likewise be adjusted into contact with the otherside of the patients head, whereby there can be no horizontal movementof the patients head relative to the X-ray film. It should be noted thatthe patients head is clamped both with respect to the film in cassette23 and the film in holder 16.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that there isprovided in accordance with this invention a cerebral angiographiccassette changer which allows proper surgical access'to the neck of thepatient, adequate angulatio-n of the head, and at the same time propercentering of the patients head with respect to the X-ray film. It shouldbe noted that holder 16 and magazine 22 are adapted to contain aplurality of cassettes, whereby one X-ray exposure after another may bemade by quickly withdrawing a cassette after each exposure. Thus withina period of approximately three seconds, a series of rapidly successiveX-ray films may be exposed without any danger of movement of thepatients head or withdrawal of the needle from his carotid artery.

While the invention has been disclosed as utilizing a head restcomprising a box or block, it is recognized that such a box or block maytend to cause a slight degree of shading in an X-ray photograph takenfrom above the patients head. Such shading does not materially impairthe usefulness of the X-ray photograph, but in order to eliminate suchshading there may be provided a canvas or other cloth head suspendingsling 57 like trated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings.supporting such a sling there may be provided books 58 and 59 attachedto the base of a clamp 4-5 and the casing of magazine 22, respectively.Thus sling may be suppo ted to hold a patients head at a predeterminedheight wit respect to the magazine and the holder 16. The specificationand drawings also disclose certain specific forms of clamping mechanismsand elevating mechanisms, but it will be understood by those skilled inthe art that various modifications of these devices may be substitutedfor those illustrated in the drawings. It will also be understood bythose of ordinary skill in the art that the specific cassette holding orfeeding mechanisms may also be modified as desired to produce theintended result.

The invention claimed is:

1. A cassette changer for cerebral angiography comprising a base memberhaving spaced parallel track members; a vertical cassette holder mountedtransversely of said members and including a base having track engagingmembers for providing movement of said holder on said track memberslongitudinally thereof, said holder base including spaced parallel trackmembers extending transversely of said first track members, said holderincluding track engaging members movably engaging said transverse trackfor providing transverse movement of said holder, said holder comprisingan X-ray pervious window and an X-ray pervious head clamp in front ofsaid window, and clamping mechanism engaging said holder and said basemember; an X-ray pervious head clamping member spaced from said headclamp and comprising a movable base slidably engaging said firstmentioned track members and having spaced parallel tracks extendingtransversely thereof, and a secondary base member having track engagingmembers for engaging said clamp base transverse tracks and providingtransverse movement of said head clamping member, and clamping mechanismengaging said head clamping member and said base member; and ahorizontal cassette holding mechanism disposed beneath said firstmentioned'base between said head clamp and said head clamping member.

2. A cassette changer for cerebral angiography comprising a base memberhaving spaced parallel track members; a vertical cassette holder mountedtransversely of said members and including a base having track engagingmembers for providing movement of said holder on said track memberslongitudinally thereof, said holder base including spaced parallel trackmembers extending transversely of said first track members, said holderincluding track engaging members movably engaging said transverse trackfor providing transverse movement of said holder, said holder comprisingan X-ray pervious window. and an X-ray pervious head clamp in front ofsaid window; a head clamping member spaced from said head clamp andcomprising a movable base slidably engaging said first mentioned trackmembers and having spaced parallel tracks extending transverselythereof, and a secondary base member having track'engaging members forengaging said clamp base transverse tracks, and providing transversemovement of said head clamping member; and a horizontal cassette holdingmechanism disposed beneath said first mentioned base between said headclamp and said head clamping member.

3. A cassette changer for cerebral angiography comprising a base memberhaving spaced parallel track members; a vertical cassette holder mountedtransversely of said members and including a base having track engagingmembers for providing movement of said holder on said track memberslongitudinally thereof, said holder base including spaced parallel trackmembers extending transversely of said first track members, saidholderineluding track engaging members movably engaging said transversetrack for providing transverse movement of said holder, said holdercomprising an X-ray pervious head clamp; a head clamping member spacedfrom said head clamp and comprising a movable base slidably engagingsaid first mentioned track members and having spaced parallel tracksextending transversely thereof, and a secondary base member having trackengaging memhere for engaging said clamp base transverse tracks, andproviding transverse movement of said head clamping member; and ahorizontal cassette holding mechanism disposed beneath said firstmentioned base between said head clamp and said head clamping member.

4. A cassette changer for cerebral angiography comprising a supportingbase, a cassette holder within said base inwardly of the ends thereof, ahead rest overlying said cassette, a vertically disposed cassettemounted on said base to one side of said head rest and movable toward oraway from the latter, said vertically disposed cassette also movable ina plane parallel with said head rest, means for maintaining saidvertically disposed cassette holder in its adjusted positions, a headclamping member mounted on said base on the opposite side of said headrest, said clamping member movable toward therewith, and means forholding said head clamping member in its adjusted positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS965,195 Kelley July 26, 1910 1,576,781 Philips Mar. 16, 1926 1,620,992Bullitt Mar. 15, 1927 1,747,434 Ghrist Feb. 18, 1930 2,115,096 ClearyApr. 26, 1938 2,478,597 Scarpellino Aug. 9, 1949 2,568,191 Grimm Sept.18, 1951 2,579,186 Haboush Dec. 18, 1951 2,617,943 Marks et al. Nov. 11,1952

